Page 19 of Midnight Whispers (Forbidden Entanglements #1)

Chapter Nineteen

I ven had clearly been at the station a while by the time Cass got there. Not that Cass was late. It looked as though Iven had been stewing in his juices. His expression was like stone as he flipped pages in their murder case file.

Cass went into his office and sat across the desk from him. He said nothing but put the cinnamon rolls Riley had given him on Iven’s desk. Giving him the roll wasn’t a confession, but it might as well have been.

Iven looked at it and then met Cass’s gaze. His eyes narrowed right before his expression turned to stone again. “I think I found Alice Newman’s family. He's a nephew in Rochester, New York. I’ve already called him. He says he’s unaware of his family having ever owned property in Fortune Falls.”

“So, the deed was doctored? Or the family forgot they owned the property. I mean, Alice Newman died a long time ago. Maybe they moved and the property just fell out of memory.”

Cass expected the conversation to continue. What he didn’t expect was Iven to bring his fist down on his desk.

Iven grabbed the bag of baked goods and shook it at Cass. And then took a deep breath and sat in his chair again. He took another breath before he spoke. “His mother just died. He took care of her his whole life, practically from birth. He doesn’t need any complications.”

“I don’t intend to be one.”

“Yet, here you are wearing his mark.” How the hell did Iven know that? It wasn’t like Iven could see Cass’s chest through his clothes. Before Cass could ask, Iven rolled his eyes. “You smell like sulfur. It’s too strong for it to be anything beyond bonding.”

“I know you’re protective of him.” Cass appreciated Iven's wanting to protect Riley. It meant Riley had more people in his corner.

Iven slapped his desk again. “He’s my son!”

Cass stood and took a step back. Iven wasn’t known for violence, but it wasn’t every day his best friend mated with his son. “I’m protective of him, too.”

“Then tell me why you bonded.” Iven closed the file before picking it up and shaking it at Cass. “You put him at risk.”

Cass didn’t know what to say. How could he explain himself in such a way that didn’t make it sound like sex was the priority? “We needed to be together. It went further than I intended.”

Iven shut his eyes and took a deep breath. “That’s exactly what I want to hear, Cass. How you and my son got carried away.”

“Sorry. But that’s the truth.”

“Oh, so now you feel like telling me the truth?”

Cass growled. “We were always going to tell you. We needed to figure out what we wanted first.”

“So, you asked him, and he said he wanted to bond?” Iven met Cass’s gaze as if he expected an answer.

The question pissed Cass off on several fronts. “Who the fuck do you think I am? You should know me better than that.”

“I thought I did.” Iven sighed and ran his hand down his face.

“Fuck you, Iven.” Cass’s wolf came to the surface. “I’ve been protecting him from the moment I met him.”

“Well, you dropped the fucking ball, Cass. And you know you did.” Iven meant Cass had compromised Riley’s safety. And Iven wasn’t wrong.

Cass’s instinct was to lash out, but Iven didn’t deserve it. All Iven did was express his concern for his son. They had the same agenda, and that was to keep Riley safe.

Cass turned and headed out of Iven’s office. He grabbed his keys off his desk and headed out the door.

He had to pass Danny, whose eyes were wide. He looked like a scared deer. Clearly, he had heard their argument. Cass didn’t stick around to find out what his thoughts were.

He headed to his car. Even when he heard Iven call his name, he didn’t turn.

****

He drove to pack lands. He wasn’t sure why. But he parked along the side of the road instead of where the pack would park during runs.

The air was chilly, but he needed it to clear his head. Ice and snow covered the road, but he still remembered where Riley’s car had run out of gas.

His chest ached thinking about the night he had first caught Riley’s scent. Cass’s partial shift had scared Riley. He’d still hung out in Cass’s car. He’d sat beside him while he warmed his hands. Cass had taken care of Riley. He’d followed Riley home, making sure he got there safely.

Every instinct had told him to stay as close to Riley as possible, but he’d gone home, trusting Iven to protect Riley. Because he knew Iven, he’d known him for years, since the day Cass started as a deputy. There wasn’t a person he knew better. He thought Iven knew Cass, too. Cass had been an open book. They told each other everything. Iven should know Cass wouldn’t hurt Riley.

Except he might have. There wasn’t a reason for Riley to be on the alpha’s radar. Yet. But Cass couldn’t keep him at bay forever.

If the alpha was guilty, Cass needed to prove it, but what did he have as evidence?

Maybe Krieger would turn on Miller. There was Quincy Barr’s testimony.

Cass didn’t see the wolf come out of the forest until it crossed the road. Cass stiffened, sniffing the air, but the wolf stayed downwind. Every instinct in Cass screamed to get out of there, but he had to find out why the wolf was there.

His gut clenched.

He pulled his gun from the holster. “Stay where you are!”

The wolf startled, glancing in Cass’s direction. He growled and then appeared as if he were going to run, so Cass shot at the ground a few feet before him. It was a warning, and the wolf must have known it because he met Cass’s gaze.

Cass had the advantage because he had the gun, but he wouldn’t shoot the wolf. He didn’t know for sure who it was or why they were on pack lands. They could have an innocent reason for being there. After all, Cass was there too. He had no way of knowing until the wolf either grew closer so he could catch their scent or if they shifted and made themselves known.

The wolf hesitated as he took a step toward the forest. They must have sensed Cass’s hesitation because they sprinted for the tree line and disappeared into the brush.

Cass cursed and undressed as quickly as possible. Before he shifted, he called in the sighting using the radio attached to his coat to let Iven and Danny know what was happening.

“Possible suspect sighted on Hensley Road. In pursuit through the north facing forest. Backup requested.” He didn’t wait for an answer, but took off after the wolf, following his scent.

Iven would come. It didn’t matter how angry he was. Cass knew he could count on him.

Rotting flesh flooded his senses, drowning out everything else. It was a full two minutes before he saw the bodies.